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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. press — newspapers
  3. press — to push
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. degree — an amount
  6. current — happening now
  7. net — after costs
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stock — shares
  10. field — for sport
  11. degree — temperature
  12. stock — goods
  13. press — a publisher
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. net — in sport
  18. branch — a division
  19. degree — from a university
  20. field — farmland
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. field — a subject
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com